Sure enough, Masako showed up (and so did Shoma, but we’ll get to that later) to fight Yuri for the other half of Momoka’s diary. Had she not made her stylish entrance, Yuri likely would’ve ravaged Ringo’s body with an unconscious Shoma in the room (oh boy, netorare). Yet, Masako was only there to grab the other half of the diary. After getting her hands on it, she made a quick departure. With the perpetrator now gone, why didn’t Yuri go back to doing what she had originally planned? Unless, of course, she did, but the implication at the end seemed to be that nothing happened. You don’t mean to tell me that Masako’s pop psychology assessment of Yuri managed to save Ringo, did it?
Coincidences, contrivances, and spinning in place
For a moment, I did think Shoma was going to save the day and play the knight in shining armor. Unfortunately, he was as ineffectual as he has always been. Still, I take issue with the fact that he was even at the hotel in the first place. A friend, whose face we never got to see, won a street raffle. The prize? A trip to a hot springs resort. Yeah, that sounds romantic… so I think I’m going to ask a male classmate to come along! Sure, the story wanted Shoma in the picture — maybe to even save Ringo — but didn’t this all seem kind of cheap and forced to anyone else? I mean, at least Masako had a good reason to be there.
Even so, I think the most frustrating thing about this episode was how nothing really mattered. Yuri had Ringo all tied-up and ready to go, but in the end, nothing happened. Yes, I wrote last week that I found the rape scenario trashy and exploitative, but just hold on for a second. Continuing on, Shoma got himself all pumped up to save Ringo only to accidentally trip on a bottle and knock himself out cold. So the anime contrived to put Shoma at the scene only for him to end up doing nothing… okay then…. Finally, Masako battled Yuri and won, claiming the other half of the diary as her reward. Whoops, sorry, that other half of the diary was just a fake. In fact, a very good fake of a diary that a little girl owned sixteen years ago.
So is the picture coming together now? I’m glad that Yuri didn’t end up raping Ringo (assuming nothing happened), but the characters pretty much spent an entire episode doing absolutely nothing of consequence. Corrupt Ringo? Didn’t happen (we think). Save Ringo? Didn’t happen; Shoma’s just there to be useless. Finally, combine the two halves of the diary and move the rest of the plot along? Not gonna happen either. It’s thus likely that in the future, we’ll have to waste another episode in which the characters battle over the halves of the diary again. Had it not been for an extensive flashback on Yuri’s past, this episode would’ve been completely pointless.
At last, it’s Momoka…
In revealing Yuri’s troubled past, we finally got to see Momoka and… well, she was just Ringo with a different hair color. Of course, for every answer we got, the story gave us even more questions to ponder over. According to Momoka, her diary can change a person’s fate entirely. Unfortunately, the price to fulfilling any wish appears to be the diary keeper’s own life. At one point, we even see Momoka consumed by fire, presumably the result of changing Yuri’s fate. From what we know, saving a rabbit put a bandage on one of Momoka’s fingers. Saving Yuri from her creepy father, however, put Momoka in the hospital. So naturally, it’s probably a good guess to assume that Momoka prevented the subway attacks from taking even more lives than necessary and the cost was her own life.
Still, there’s the question of how a normal elementary schoolgirl could come into possession of such a magical diary. We understand now how the diary could save Himari or Mario’s lives. Assuming they ever get their hands on the diary, one of the brothers will have to sacrifice themselves for Himari’s sake, but Kanba has already been doing this since the start of the series. Plus, both of the old and the new OP features Ringo being consumed by flames. Again, it might be safe to assume that this is foreshadowing a future event. Will she end up having to save someone dear to her much like Momoka did?
Everything else
• Just an interesting observation: when Ringo was talking to Shoma about how she was about to get all “messed up,” we see a frog by #2. Frogs have been interpreted as sexual symbols in fairy tales. For instance, a frog hopped out of the tub when Briar Rose’s mother was taking a bath to announce to her that she was then pregnant. In “The Frog Prince,” the frog tried to share a bed with the princess, prompting her to throw him against the wall.
• During Shoma’s failed attempt to rescue Ringo, #2 was just as equally useless. While Kanba’s penguin seems to help its owner as much as it can, Shoma’s penguin didn’t even seem to notice that its owner had been knocked out cold. Later in the anime, when Yuri deflected Masako’s rubber ball with a table tennis paddle, we saw the ball hit #2’s banana. It’s very likely, then, that #2 did nothing but continue to eat while Shoma was helpless. As a result, I can’t see the conspicuous consumption in the anime as anything but a warning sign that overeating is a sin. Besides, this is just consistent with “Hansel and Gretel,” but to reiterate my point, the two children were abandoned in the woods only because their parents could no longer feed them. Furthermore, they were lured into the evil witch’s trap by being seduced by her house of candy and treats.
• We still don’t quite know the secret about Yuri’s body. Would it be the scars as a result of her father’s abuse or something else entirely?
• Speaking of her father’s abuse, what exactly was he trying to do with his poor daughter? My instinct is to take all the hammering and the chiseling motifs at face value — that there was something incestuous occurring between the father and his daughter. Maybe her wounds are the results of sex.
• But why interpret everything as sexual? First, he said, “Pure and beautiful love exist only among family.” Second, he’s surrounded by Grecian statues and the ancient Greeks were… oh, not quite as shy as we are about older men and young boys fostering a certain type of relationship. Of course, there are two problems with these implications: (1) Yuri’s not a boy (as far as we know) and (2) the “tower” that we can clearly see from her father’s atelier is obviously based off of Michelangelo’s David — neither Michelangelo nor David were Grecian (but David’s pose is itself very Grecian).
• So maybe I shouldn’t take things so literally. Grecian statues epitomize perfection and purity of the human body. If you’ll recall, Yuri’s father said, “Your mother became uglier by the minute after she gave birth to you.” To Yuri’s father, it’s likely that becoming a mother was a sign of either corruption or impurity. Ironically, he’d be the one who corrupted her in the first place. But anyway, in the same episode, we learned from Shoma’s friend that Yuri is apparently a “seriously hot chick.” So even though her father emotionally manipulated her feelings by calling her ugly, it’s likely that she was also pretty as a girl. Even if you think the father was literally hammering and chiseling away at Yuri’s body instead of it all being a metaphor for sex, the guy just gives off the vibes of a pedophile.
• Kanba’s conversation with Sanetoshi didn’t impress me. To me, the anime appears to be beating us over the head nowadays with its messages. Yes, family can be a burden, but I don’t need Sanetoshi to tell me this. The brothers have been running themselves ragged for fifteen episodes in order to save their sister. Ringo originally wanted to obliterate her identity in order to fix her broken family. To flat-out tell me now that family can be a burden is like, “Well, duh.”
• Himari’s inclusion in the episode felt like an afterthought. When she isn’t her bitchy princess penguin self, I just find her utterly boring.
• Nice escape plan, but wouldn’t she be putting herself at risk of hypothermia?
Moe Sucks 
but didn’t this all seem kind of cheap and forced to anyone else? I mean, at least Masako had a good reason to be there.
What bothers me is that the show is centered around the idea of fate. It seems that these incidents will continuously be defended using the show’s premise but when you think about it, it is cheap and it is forced. But I’m pretty sure the staff thinks they have a legitimate excuse. (eyeroll)
I… almost forgot Himari was in this episode! Whoa. If I hadn’t read your entry I would have completely forgotten.
Now that you mention Ringo being consumed by fire in the OP, I think you’re right in that she may save someone dear to her. I’m guessing she’ll find a way to use the diary and move the terrorist bombings to a different fate. I speculated this on my own post but I have a feeling the anime will end with the terrorist bombings being replaced by the sarin gas attacks instead just like how Momoka replaced the statue with the Tokyo Tower. But who knows?
I’m not sure why the anime feels that it needs to hammer in the messages like with Sanetoshi and Kanba, pretty sure they know the audience have speculated and studied this show as much as they can. How could they possibly miss out on such an obvious message? Gee.
I wonder if they just had all these cool ideas for a story that they’re now having a hard time tying everything together in a believable fashion. If too many cooks can spoil a broth, so can too many ingredients.
Himari’s problem is that she was too passive. Her episode quelled this issue for a bit, but it’s been a while since the ninth episode. As a result, we’re back to just watching Himari being passive yet again. It’s just not very interesting.
I think it’s likely that something might happen to Shoma which will require Ringo’s sacrifice.
As an aside, I thought it was hilarious that in order to save Yuri, Momoka replaced an ugly building with an uglier building. The Tokyo Tower is hideous.
I wouldn’t be surprised if they are having a hard time tying everything together, and the lack of real consequence in this show is probably preventing them from that. The idea of cycles isn’t quite helping the narrative right now. Circumstances could change but I prefer not to be so positive.
Agreed. She just died 3 episodes ago and somehow we (err..I) forget about her again. We’re back to watching Himari be a passive plot device is more like it.
Like I said, the problem is that there’s a lack of consequences in this show. Whatever happens to Shouma needs to be serious business because he just got hit by a car an survived like a boss. It must be a pretty big deal if Shouma gets into real trouble.
As an aside, I thought it was hilarious that in order to save Yuri, Momoka replaced an ugly building with an uglier building. The Tokyo Tower is hideous.
I can’t say I have an appreciation for architectural design but I’d totally rent a space in that David building if I had the money just for the sake of bragging. “I live inside a naked statue.” would be one hell of a conversation starter.
I guess this is a case for practically every promising series. After a handful of great episodes, they all seem to unravel.
…Sorry to point this out, but fate has been this show’s calling card…since it started. I got annoyed by it half the time, and I now occasionally get used to it. In the end, this show will live or die with the notion of fate–whether we like it or not.
I was wondering if perhaps Yuri never intended to rape Ringo. Maybe ending up next door to Shouma wasn’t a coincidence, nor was Yuri letting Ringo make that phone call, nor was the fact that she didn’t end up raping Ringo. Not that this theory makes things much more believable…
Also, I like how you interpreted everything sexually except for the one thing I interpreted that way, #2’s banana. :)
Maybe Yuri planned everything out. That would mean she knew that Shoma’s friend had won a raffle contest and asked Shoma to a resort. Hm, kind of difficult to swallow.
As for the banana being sexual, I’d agree had it been Kanba’s penguin.
“Maybe Yuri planned everything out. That would mean she knew that Shoma’s friend had won a raffle contest and asked Shoma to a resort.”
And why not? She had the diary after all, so she probably knew that Shouma was going to be there because it was written in the diary. Remember that Momoka knew that Yuri was going to die which hints the diary not only can be used to alter fate, but also has the original fate written in it.
At any rate, Ringo was tied down, so there was no way for her to call Shouma, or to answer when he called her back. It means Yuri herself called Shouma’s number in the first place, and she also answered when he called back. Why would she do that if it wasn’t part of her plan?
How can we even know that Shoma is anywhere in the diary? Ringo had been using the diary for a long time but she didn’t see anybody’s fate in the diary but Momoka and Tabuki’s. How do we account for that? Really, let’s just focus on Ringo for a second. If the diary had this power, why did it not warn Ringo ahead of time about someone stealing her diary? Why did it not warn her that Shoma would interfere with her Project M? Why did it not warn her that a car would hit Shoma? The list goes on. Yet somehow, when Yuri picks up the diary, it reveals all of this magical facts about other people? It even tells her that Shoma’s friend will win a raffle contest and invite him to a resort? C’mon.
To taunt Shoma? I find that more believable than Yuri planning out an elaborate faux-rape session just to have Shoma come over and then… what? Even if you’re right, what was really the point of all of this? What did it accomplish?
Maybe Yuri asked Kanba and Himari where he was. Maybe she’s stalking Shouma. Maybe Yuri gave Shouma’s friend the ticket. Yeah, difficult to swallow, but slightly less difficult than them ending up miles from Tokyo in the same hotel right next door to each other by coincidence. I suppose we could just attribute it to “fate” though. As for what she’s trying to accomplish, maybe she’s just a nice person. Ah ha ha ha ha.
And for the life of me, I can’t remember writing that sentence in my own reply about Sanetoshi arranging everything. I must be losing it. But come to think of it, Sanetoshi probably told Masako where Yuri was, so he could have had a hand in things. Especially if he has some sort of grasp on fate.
Whoops, I probably clicked on the wrong comment when trying to edit myself. And Yuri’s motive is the biggest hang up for me. Yeah, she could have planned everything, but she has no reason to do so. To be nice? That’s kind of ordinary for Ikuhara, isn’t it?
Ah, good, I’m not going crazy. :) Yeah, there’s no way she’s just being nice.
Could just be me, but I’m really starting to get the idea that Yuri is a hermaphrodite. If you look at the parts when she’s talking about anxieties during the flashback sequences, it nearly always points towards the statue of David.
Now, you could say that the statue is just a symbol for her father, or perhaps it’s something else? Just some food for thought anyway…Personally I found this episode to be rather refreshing and I did enjoy it, but it’s interesting to hear your opinions too.
Maybe, but then no one seems to make any mention of it. So many people have or should have seen her naked by this point. Tabuki married the damn woman and makes no mention of it. Shoma presumably walks in on both a naked Yuri and Ringo and makes no mention of it. You’d think something that major wouldn’t go unnoticed by the show’s characters.
I didn’t say the episode was bad. I do think that the episode was very contrived outside of the flashback portions.
I get the impression that Shoma’s entrance was what actually convinced Yuri not to do anything to Ringo. I mean, what did she do afterwards? Cover them both with blankets and call up room service (Masako in disguise) to clean up the meal.
Obvious as the theme he expounds on may be, I continue to find Sanetoshi fascinating just to contemplate, as a lonely god trying to understand humanity. Maybe that’s just the Doctor Who fan in me.
I didn’t think she called room service. I thought Masako just came in unannounced. After all, Shoma got in with no trouble.
All these Doctor Who stuff. I’ve never seen it!
I wonder what’s with Mario.
And Tabuki.
And Himari
And Double H.
And “Men in Coats”.
And the creator of “memory erasing”-balls.
And Pinguqueen.
And Pinguking.
And Sanetoshi who somehow just came into the real world for the lulz.
And the rabbits.
And the diary.
And much more.
yeah, i noticed the lucky coincidences too. at least this ep wasn’t as sleep-inducing as the past two. at this point i’m just waiting for all of it to end and give me some answers or cop out in the worst way possible. either would satisfy me. seeing how the show is filled with questions on a Lost level, i’d put my money on a cop out.
btw, DOES the story end after 24 eps? or do the novels go beyond that point?
How would any of us know? >_>
Someone is from another fate
*leaves post*
Finally we got some answers, and it turns out the show has a lot in common with Steins Gate.
Momoka can use D-Mail (her diary) to change world lines (destiny) and because she has Reader Steiner (foresight) she remembers the previous reality.
She used it to save Yuri and probably again to save Tabuki, the last time the prize was her own life. Since Yuri also remembers the previous reality I’m guessing Tabuki does so as well, so what more did she change?
If Tabuki remembers, he sure acted like he didn’t in his flashback. Of course, the anime could just be blatantly withholding information, but I’m not a fan of such tactics.
Unfortunately, he was as ineffectual as he has always been. Still, I take issue with the fact that he was even at the hotel in the first place. A friend, whose face we never got to see, won a street raffle. The prize? A trip to a hot springs resort. Yeah, that sounds romantic… so I think I’m going to ask a male classmate to come along! Sure, the story wanted Shoma in the picture — maybe to even save Ringo — but didn’t this all seem kind of cheap and forced to anyone else? I mean, at least Masako had a good reason to be there.
No actually it doesn’t because Shouma DID have a reason to be there. It’s fate! And before you say fate is cheap well the point is it’s been set up since early on that Shouma & Ringo are connected by fate. Now I am not saying “the diary mentions Shouma”. It might have nothing to do with the diary. However the show has been hitting us on our head that Shouma and Ringo have this connection. And thus while Shouma being at the hot spring feels contrived…that is what fate is.
I should also point out that the friend who took Shouma to the hot spring is the friend who first pointed out Ringo to Shouma in the 1st episode. Perhaps that is just a random coincidence perhaps it’s something more.
As for Shouma’s ineffectiveness well someone on another blog made an excellent point. The reason why Shouma is ineffective is because unlike his siblings & Natsume he is not in line with his penguin. Notice that unlike the other penguins, No 2 will often do something different from what Shouma wants to do. Shouma’s own enemy is himself and the guilt he keeps inside himself. Until he can let go of that guilt (and I am hoping with the help of Ringo) he will probably continue to be ineffective.
Anyways I think the show is still brilliant and coming together perfectly. No the character don’t always accomplish what they want but the story is still moving despite them. Granted I can do without the “shock value” endings but at least for me there is enough good stuff in the rest of the episodes to make up for this.
So fate conspired to have Shoma end up in the hotel room right next to Yuri and Ringo’s, but when he went to save the latter, fate also decided that he should trip and knock himself out like a klutz. That’s a rather peculiar form of fate you got there. But just because you want to call it fate doesn’t mean the story can’t also come off as contrived. These are two separate issues. There’s no reason Shoma couldn’t have been at the hotel, but don’t you think the writers could’ve come up with a better idea than “MY FRIEND WON A CONTEST AND INVITED ME!” I get that there’s a special connection between Shoma and Ringo, but I want to see a better set-up for such a scenario than what I was given.
This doesn’t add up. How does holding onto guilt prevent his penguin from helping him? What indication do we have in the anime that the penguins are affected by their owners’ guilt or lack thereof?
I disagree, especially with regards to the story moving. I thought the story went nowhere. If they wanted a flashback episode about Yuri’s childhood, they should’ve just done that. To have Masako battle Yuri only to get a fake diary is pointless. To have Shoma show up and do nothing is equally pointless. It felt like the non-flashback portions were nothing but filler. Plus, I find that the writing has gotten substantially worse (specifically, less subtle) and the subtext seems to be thinning out too.
This doesn’t add up. How does holding onto guilt prevent his penguin from helping him? What indication do we have in the anime that the penguins are affected by their owners’ guilt or lack thereof?
What do you mean it doesn’t add up? Shouma’s self loathing and guilt is a major facet of his character. The penguins are a facet of their owners personality I never said the penguins have anything to do with the other characters guilt. Because the other characters guilt is not an important aspect to their personality like it is Shouma’s
Only Shouma’s penguin goes against Shouma because Shouma is his own worst enemy. 1 and 3 say things about Kanba and Himari as well (and I am sure so does Esmeralda for Natsume) but they don’t say the same things as Shouma’s penguin.
So fate conspired to have Shoma end up in the hotel room right next to Yuri and Ringo’s, but when he went to save the latter, fate also decided that he should trip and knock himself out like a klutz.
Because I just explained why Shouma ultimately failed. But either way I never said fate would have Shouma be the one to rescue Ringo (although technically speaking you can say his failed attempt are what convinced Yuri to not go through with it). Just that Shouma being in the next room was the story again hitting us over the hit that Shouma & Ringo are connected. That despite Shouma trying to get away from Ringo he can’t & well probably shouldn’t.
I disagree, especially with regards to the story moving. I thought the story went nowhere. If they wanted a flashback episode about Yuri’s childhood, they should’ve just done that. To have Masako battle Yuri only to get a fake diary is pointless.
We got tons of new information about the diary. And just because Masako did not succeed in getting the diary does not mean the action itself was pointless to the story. Now everyone knows who has what & we as the viewer know why everyone has their own reason for wanting the diary. How would the story have moved further if Masako had actually gotten the other half?
I feel you think the writing is getting worse because you are not focusing on what is important in the story and it’s certainly not who will get the whole diary. I think that is superfluous to the whole thing. But I guess we will see who is right in how things do play out in the end.
Sorry for replying again but I think I am not explaining this penguin thing well
Take Kanba he also thinks what their parents did is their sin but as he said in the first episode he defies this fate and he will fight against it, which he tries to do and his penguin is perfectly in line with him (not that the way Kanba is trying to defy fate will ultimately lead to a good thing).
Shouma on the other hand thinks nothing he does matters. He is believes it is his fate to never amount to anything to just wait for the punishment. He is in constant self loathing. And because Shouma “has basically just given up like this” right now whenever he tries to do anything he fails because his penguin will not help him. Shouma’s greatest enemy right now is himself.
Why are you telling me the obvious?
My point is that this is just conjecture. We have no evidence to support this other than “well, Shoma hates himself so maybe his penguin doesn’t want to help him.”
You’re not really addressing why I found this portion of the story unsatisfactory. I’m not complaining about what fate means within the framework the story. I’m saying that it felt contrived — that this is unsatisfying storytelling. You can work fate into a story without such lame contrivances as a friend winning a raffle contest where the reward just happens to be the hotel room right next to Yuri’s. And if you liked the way Shoma ended up next to Yuri’s room, then I don’t know what to say. We clearly have very dfiferent standards when it comes to watching anime.
What? The different factions struggling to saved their loved ones is not important to the story?
How could it not?
So it’s necessary to waste half of the last two episodes on this? I liked the revelations regarding Yuri’s childhood and Momoka. I found everything else “superfluous.”
Oh whatever, we are like oil and water (in before someone makes a smart ass emulsion comment).
Why are you telling me the obvious?
Yes well I am sorry for stating the obvious but it seems to me you are ignoring what No. 2 is saying about Shouma.
My point is that this is just conjecture. We have no evidence to support this other than “well, Shoma hates himself so maybe his penguin doesn’t want to help him.
I think there is plenty of evidence actually. Did you ever question why Shouma’s penguin is the only Penguin who constantly (not just in this instance) is off doing something different from his “owner”? Lets’ just say that when Shouma does get over his self loathing (which I think is bound to happen) I think No. 2 will no longer be off doing his own thing. Of course I can’t prove what I am saying is true until this happens. You are free to not see it.
I’m saying that it felt contrived — that this is unsatisfying storytelling.
But “fate” itself is meant to be contrived. The whole thing of Shouma being there was even presented in a somewhat silly & ridiculous fashion. Again it was just meant to hit the symbolism of Shouma & Ringo’s connection. I am fine with this contrivance because I feel there is a larger purpose to it. And while it’s just a theory (mind you one I got from somewhere else) I do find it interesting that the faceless friend that brought Shouma to Ringo this time is the same one who showed him her in the first place.
How could it not?
Um because then everyone would just be after Masako? I don’t see how in the larger picture it would ultimately get us any faster to a conclusion. Okay I guess you can say because only 1 person has the diary but that didn’t seem to affect anything when only Ringo had it.
What? The different factions struggling to saved their loved ones is not important to the story?
Yes actually ultimately I don’t think who will win and save their loved one is the most important part of the story. I think there is a much larger picture at work here: more or less about what is fate really? And what can be changed and what can’t? I think the set up of the plot is just getting us there.
So it’s necessary to waste half an episode on this?
Was the Masako VS Yuri thing really a half an episode? It felt more like a few minutes. And I don’t think the Shouma/Ringo/Yuri stuff was that long either.
Oh whatever, we are like oil and water
Ha Ha yes maybe. I hope you don’t mind me always commenting like this. I guess sometimes I like a debate.
And well I think sometimes we do agree.
But could it have been done in a better way? Do you agree or disagree that they could have come up with a better example than Shoma’s friend winning a raffle ticket? That’s all I’m saying. I don’t mind fating linking Shoma and Ringo. I just wanted it to happen in less of a peculiar way. Could fate have made it so that Harry first met Sally in a seedy bathroom? Sure, but you could still come up with a better way for two star-crossed lovers to meet.
‘Cause she didn’t know what to do with it. Masako presumably does. If not her, Sanetoshi or Mario might. They could do something with said diary. But since the diary is still divided, nothing will happen except the factions will once again struggle to get the halves of the diary together.
I’ve never said I disagreed with this. But you said who gets the diary wasn’t important whatsoever. How could it not be important? Whether or not there’s a bigger picture, who gets the diary is important for the time being.
They took last week’s episode this set this week’s episode up just to have Masako steal the fake diary. This wasn’t necessary. I personally would have just expanded on Yuri’s childhood portions to take up two full episodes and edited away everything that occurred at the resort, but it’s clear we disagree heavily on this.
Only when a true stinker like Guilty Crown comes around.
But could it have been done in a better way? Do you agree or disagree that they could have come up with a better example than Shoma’s friend winning a raffle ticket?
Okay yes if you put it that way I agree. It was definitely silly. But I guess I think there is a larger picture at work here and hence I don’t necessarily see it as bad writing.
But you said who gets the diary wasn’t important whatsoever.
Well actually I think ultimately it won’t be. Okay it’s only a theory but I think the diary won’t be used for the specific purpose of any of the characters wishes. I could very well be wrong of course. That’s not to say I don’t think the diary will play an important part, but I guess I don’t think who has the diary now is all that important.
Only when a true stinker like Guilty Crown comes around.
This is only the 1st season I replied on your blog I am sure there will be more (and hey I looked at your favorite anime and I am quite in love with Mononoke & Mushishi too). ;)
Assuming I keep on blogging this show, we can have a battle of words again next week ’cause I think we’ve exhausted this week’s list of topics.
I too wondered at Yuri’s sudden decision to back off of Ringo. She does say towards the end that she supposes it had to be Momoka and she should have known. Perhaps she didn’t rape Ringo because Ringo, in the end, didn’t live up to the standard of Momoka that Yuri had placed on her? Either way it take a bit of the edge off of Yuri that the previous episode had established fairly well, which is a bit frustrating.
As for Himari, while I thought it was cute that Sanetoshi delivered the scarves for her, I wonder if she is plain and simply exactly what Shouma describes her as: a nice, “good,” girl. I was hoping for a bit more character development for her up until this point, especially with the nods to something a bit darker regarding her character: how she’s had to shoulder a burden bigger than herself, leaving school, her misguided attempt at koi murder. However, while episode nine re-aligned our expectations of her character, giving her choice of words and specific actions more meaning, since that episode, she’s done nothing but play the innocent victim of her parents’ transgressions. Which is okay, but as you’ve said in the past, doesn’t make one care a lot about her character.
Maybe, but then there’s still the question of how she came by this realization from the moment Shoma passed out to when Masako left with the fake diary.
Speaking of Himari, the ninth episode is starting to feel more and more like an outlier. Let’s suppose it had never aired. The episode itself contains a wealth of information, but it seems to me that its revelations are also rather self-contained. It’s like the ninth episode only affected how we see Himari and not necessarily the rest of the series.
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